Care Coordination and Handoff for the Pediatric Patient in the Radiology Environment

Handoff refers to the process of transferring the responsibility of patient care from one care provider to another in support of coordination of care. It is a real-time progression of transferring specific information to ensure the continuity of care. This fundamental but imperative process in patient care ensures that this pertinent information is discussed between team members while including the pediatric patient and often the parent or caregiver. Although easy to move through this process quickly, the hand-off process is one of significant importance for the coordination of ongoing care for the pediatric patient. Using information from the literature reviews, perception surveys from team members, and a collaborative review of the existing radiology hand-off process, the work supporting change to handoffs resulted in development of a more robust education and template for improvements to support quality patient care for the pediatric patient. This article will discuss the concepts for care coordination and handoffs for the pediatric patient on the radiology environment. Suggestions for staff nurses, nurse managers, radiology technologists, and physicians will be discussed in support of the pediatric patient when transitioning from levels of care within radiology and to other areas for care.